Jay Varga

Jay is our principal cellist and a founding member of QUO.

How did you come to join QUO?
I started with QUO almost at the beginning – I missed the first rehearsal. An acquaintance on Facebook messaged asking me if I knew about QUO, right after the group started. I’d always thought it was great that New York City had LGBT bands and choirs, but felt it was strange in a city with so much talent that we didn’t have an orchestra?!? I am glad that I was able to join in the beginning to see the group grow by leaps and bounds over the years.

What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC?
I always take friends into the West Village and walk by the building used for the outside shots of the TV show Friends. Everyone always seems to enjoy the neighborhood.

What musical symbol best defines you and why?
Caesura – this is the two slash marks ( // ) that can be marked between notes or measures of music to take a brief, silent pause. I sometimes need to tell myself and others to simply just do that.

How long have you playing your instrument?
Hate to admit, but I’ve been playing ‘cello for over 30 years and piano for over 35 years. I started in the womb.

Question from Holly: What is your favorite piece to play and why?
I would have to say Kodaly’s Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8. It is an extremely difficult piece to play – you have to tune the bottom two strings down a half-pitch and it took me over a year to learn. Through it all, the piece is very rewarding to play. I feel it passes through so many emotions and reflects back to the Hungarian folklore and countryside.